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Several UT basketball players changing their shot

Shembarri Phillips is defended by Brody Stone during the game between Rice Buick and H3 Sports in the Pilot Rocky Top League basketball tournament at Knoxville Catholic on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL)(Photo: Saul Young)

The Tennessee men's basketball team's offseason bears no resemblance to last year's.

'It's a lot more structured,' sophomore forward Admiral Schofield said last week. 'I like how everything is put together. As far as skill development, we're getting a lot more time in the gym, which is amazing.

'I love what our schedule is like right now.'

Some of that schedule is up to the players. After an early-morning workout, it's up to each player to get back in the gym. Apparently that hasn't been a problem.

Schofield said he and his teammates have been in the gym three or four times a day this summer.

'Honestly we barely have time to do anything and I like that,' he said. 'I like not having time to do anything else. I like being here and being busy.

'All I have time to do now is sleep and do homework, and I like that.'

Senior guard Robert Hubbs III scheduled online courses this summer, leaving more time for the gym. Sophomore guard Shembari Phillips said you can count on two or three workouts per day.

'I feel like we're all going hard, as hard as we can every day,' Phillips said. 'Everyone leaves it out on the court.'

Phillips credited Kevin Punter Jr. — the team's senior point guard, leading scorer and emotional leader last season — for setting the tone and work ethic.

Barnes overhauled Punter's shot last summer, helping double his scoring production from his junior to senior season.

Now Phillips is changing his shot. So is junior guard Detrick Mostella. So are most of Tennessee's freshmen.

'Most of us, we're good shooters, but coach wants to make us great (shot) makers,' Phillips said. 'That's his philosophy.'

Jordan Bone, a freshman point guard from Nashville, used to bring the ball up on his left side. Now the focus is playing with the ball higher, making himself taller on the floor.

'It's going to be a process,' Bone said on June 15, 'but I'm ready for it.'

During that process there have been frequent mentions of Punter's shot transformation.

'I'm a competitive guy, I hate seeing the ball come off the rim,' Bone said. 'But they (the coaches) always refer to Kevin Punter.

'You just have to hang in there. It's going to be all good at the end of the day.'

Kwe Parker, a 6-foot-1 freshman guard from High Point, N.C., is spending the summer trying to get out of the shadow of his 45-inch vertical jump.

To be more than a dunker, he has to find a jumper.

'All the coaches want me to get way better at my jump shot,' Parker said, 'mid-range and being able to shoot free throws. The biggest jump shot they want me to do is my mid-range.'

That means mechanical changes.

'Getting my elbow in and my wrist back,' Parker said. 'That's the biggest thing they want me to do. Be able to get my wrist back and then I'll be able to shoot it good.'

Jalen Johnson, a 6-6 freshman forward who's most comfortable playing on the wing, checks in at just 168 pounds. That leaves him with what he called a 'see-food diet.' When he sees food, he has to eat it.

Johnson is also working on shot changes — even if adding weight is goal No. 1.

'I've been working on trying to get a higher release on my jump shot a little bit,' Johnson said.

Barnes overhauled his roster after his first season, losing four seniors and sophomore transfer Ray Kasongo. The Vols added six freshmen and graduate transfer forward Lew Evans.

The changes have continued during a busy summer.

'We're setting a culture at Tennessee right now,' Phillips said. 'The freshmen are really following and it's paying off for us.'